Combined toothbrush rack and cleaner

ABSTRACT

A DEVICE FOR CLEANING A TOOTHBRUSH, THE DEVICE COMPRISING A PLASTIC VESSEL OR GLASS HAVING A PLASTIC BRUSH SECURED TO AN INNER SIDE WALL THEREOF, AGAINST WHICH A TOOTH BRUSH MAY BE STROKED DURING CLEANING OPERATION, THE PLASTIC VESSEL INCLUDING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF TOOTH BRUSHES AND TOOTH PASTE TUBES, THE VESSEL FURTHER INCLUDING MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE SAME TO A VERTICAL WALL OF A BATHROOM.

Se t. 20,1971 H, MAURER 3,605,160

COMBINED TOGTHBRUSH RACK AND CLEAR Filqd llaroh 25, 1969 //v mew/roeE0555 MAY/BEE 3,605,160 COMBINED TOOTHBRUSH RACK AND CLEANER Rueben H.Maurer, 3733 Edgefield Ave. NW., Canton, Ohio 44709 Filed Mar. 25, 1969,Ser. No. 810,178 Int. Cl. A46b 11/00; A47g 29/08; B08b 1/00 US. Cl.15105 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for cleaning atoothbrush, the device comprising a plastic vessel or glass having aplastic brush secured to an inner side wall thereof, against which atooth brush may be stroked during cleaning operation, the plastic vesselincluding means for supporting a plurality of tooth brushes and toothpaste tubes, the vessel further including means for mounting the same toa vertical wall of a bathroom. I

This invention relates generally to tooth cleaning devices. Morespecifically it relates to devices for maintaining tooth brushes in aclean condition.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a device forthe purpose of cleaning tooth brush bristles and removing therefrom anyforeign particles that may be caught among the bristles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tooth brushcleaner which includes a plastic vessel or glass containing a plasticbrush therewithin and against which the bristles of a tooth brush may bestroked during cleaning operation.

Yet a further object is to provide a tooth brush cleaner which providessupport means for a plurality of tooth brushes.

Still another object is to provide a tooth brush cleaner which providessupport means for a plurality of tooth paste tubes.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a tooth brushcleaner which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged inconstruction, easy to use and efiicient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 andshown in operative use.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral 10represents a tooth brush cleaner, according to the present inventionwherein there is a plastic vessel or glass 11 which includes asemi-cylindrical side wall 12 adjacent a flat side wall 13, the loweredges of the walls 12 and 13 being adjacent a semi-circular bottom wall14. The upper edges of the semi-cylindrical side wall 12 and fiat wall13 define an opening 14 into a central compartment 15 of the vessel intowhich water 16 may be placed.

A plastic brush 17 is secured by means of screws 18 to the inner side ofthe flat wall 13 as shown.

A pair of eyelets 19 are integrally formed on the rear side of the flatwall 13, each eyelet engaging a hook 20 extending from a base plate 21affixed to a vertical wall 22 of a room.

0n the outer side of the semi-cylindrical wall 12 there is integrallyformed an upper flange 23 having a plurality United States Patent 0 "Iceof openings 24 therethrough for the purpose of receiving and storingtooth brushes 25. The lower ends of the tooth brushes 25 rest against anupper side of a lower flange 26, the flange 26 being provided with apair of notches 27 for the purpose of receiving and supporting aplurality of tooth paste tubes 28.

In operative use, in order to clean a tooth brush, a quantity of water16 is placed into the glass or vessel so as to fully cover the plasticbrush 17. A person then merely rubs the tooth brush bristles 29 againstthe teeth 30 of the plastic brush 17, thus removing from the tooth brushany foreign particles captured among the bristles. Thus a means isprovided for maintaining tooth brushes in a clean and sanitarycondition. The water 16 may then be removed from the vessel by simplylifting the vessel off the hooks 20 and tipping the same over.

What I now claim is:

1. In a tooth brush cleaner adapted to clean a tooth brush, thecombination of a plastic vessel, a plastic brush supported within saidvessel, said vessel being adaptable for receiving a quantity of watertherewithin so to submerge said plastic brush, and said tooth brush forbeing cleaned in operative use being placed within said vessel with thetooth brush bristles being positioned against said plastic brush andbeing moved thereagainst so to remove any foreign particles from thetooth brush bristles, said plastic vessel comprising a semi-cylindricalside wall and an adjacent flat wall, said semi-cylindrical side wall andsaid flat wall at their lower edges being adjacent a semicircular bottomwall, the upper edges of said semi-cylindrical and said flat walldefining an opening to a central compartment into which said water isreceivable, and said plastic brush including a plurality of plasticprojections against which said tooth brush bristles are frictionallymoved, and said plastic brush being secured to an inner side of saidflat wall by means of screws.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pair of rearwardextending eyelets are integrally formed on a rear side of said fiatwall, said eyelets being receivable over a pair of hooks integral with aflat base that is securable to a vertical wall.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein an outer side of saidsemi-cylindrical wall is provided with an upper flange having aplurality of openings therethrough for purpose of receiving toothbrushes in a stored condition; a lower end of said tooth brushes beingsupported upon an upper side of a lower flange, said lower flange beingprovided with a plurality of notches in a forward edge thereof forpurpose of receiving a plurality of tooth paste tubes and supporting thesame therefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,278,789 9/ 1918 Thompson312-206X 1,285,948 11/1918 Cook 2187X 1,562,348 ll/ 1925 Lockery312-206UX 2,121,307 6/1938 Swift 15-104R 3,138,414 6/1964 La Pollo211-65X 3,446,572 5/1969 Souza 21-87X DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner US.Cl. X.R.

